A Perfect Love
by SomewhereInTheStars
Summary: After a year of dating, Lucy's birthday is coming fast, and Alfendi has the perfect present.
1. True Love and Family Secrets

**Hey readers! Just a slight interlude from the author before the story... I do not own Layton Brothers: Mystery Room or any of the characters. This is my first fic, so please read and review! I depend on the feedback I get from people. So, enjoy! :3**

* * *

Ever since they met, Alfendi Layton and Lucy Baker knew there was something missing in their lives. After the Forbodium Castle case, it had clicked. The missing piece was each other, and one night the Prof's darker side made a move, and it's been history since. The crime fighting duo had been inseparable that day forward, whether it be from solving mysteries, to day trips with both sides of the Prof. Many of their co-workers had seen it coming, and Florence Sich was the first to find out.

Florence had made the nightly rounds around the Scotland Yard to see if there was any progression on a particularly difficult case. After learning that it had finally been sent to the Mystery Room, the forensic annalist rolled off to find them. Upon arrival of the back office, Florence heard the unmistakable voice of the real Alfendi, bantering back and forth with Lucy. It was the usual argument, Lucy telling Al off for staying in the Mystery Room too much, with the Prof countering that it was a good work habit.

"You shouldn't be worried about me, you stupid girl! Worry about yourself for once!" Alfendi spat. The venom was clear in his voice.

"'Ow do you expect me to worry 'bout myself when all I can do is think about you?" Lucy screamed. A silence fell between the both of them. Florence nearly tumbled out of her chair. Finally, the placid side of the Prof took over.  
"You- wait. What?" Alfendi was actually quite confused at what had just happened.

"I-I care 'bout you, Prof. A lot. I'm sorry…" Lucy bolted for the door, and Florence braced herself for impact, but it never came. Peeking though a small slit in the office door, she saw that Potty Prof had control again. He had Lucy's wrist in his grasp, and in one fluid motion, had the DC in his arms. Lucy was still flustered about her accidental confession that a permanent blush was painted across her face. Leaning forward, Alfendi kissed his assistant gently, a trait not usually seen in the Potty Prof. After they broke apart, Placid was back in control, who's blush was deeper than Lucy's.

"There's nothing to be sorry about, now is there?" Alfendi grinned nervously.

"I guess not, Prof," Lucy added breathlessly. Florence remained deathly quiet as she rolled off to gather her team.  
After their first kiss, each part of the pair was dragged off by co-workers, Potty Prof kicking and screaming as Dustin and Sniffer held him in the Mystery Room while Florence rolled away with a very embarrassed Lucy. All through the night the girls gushed over small details of every moment, meanwhile both sides of Alfendi Layton was telling his male co-workers to stay away from Lucy. Florence and Lucy watched chick flicks while Dustin and Sniffer forced Al to watch sappy love movies to get him 'ready' for a relationship. In the end, each group had a lot of fun.  
Walking out of the lab, the girls bumped into Al on his way out. Picking Lucy up in his arms, he grinned devilishly at Florence, who knew she could do nothing. That night the Prof carried Lucy all the home.

* * *

It was now a year later, and Alfendi was out of ideas. The summer months had come and gone, and September was nearing fast. On September twenty-second, Lucy Baker would turn twenty-three. Lucy had no parents, or even real guardian that he knew of, so he had no one to ask. In side his head a war was raging on, but his personalities were focusing on one thing. Who could give him what he wanted? He finally found himself walking to the lab of the Scotland Yard.  
"Florence?" Al knocked on the door before opening it. "Florence? I know your here." He entered the lab to find it in disarray. Much like the Mystery Room, Flo kept the lab at a state of constant clutter. Rounding the corner she found the scientist asleep in her swivel chair, her head back and mouth agape. Her IV, as always, was attached to her, and a of bottle of cough syrup was on the table next to the forensic scientist. Looking at the clock on the wall, he realized the time. The digital numbers flashed 1:36 AM. Startled, he quickly retreated to the cold steps of the lab entrance and set up camp there.

When Florence Sich woke in the morning, the last thing she expected was to find Alfendi Layton asleep on the steps of her lab. Lying there, he looked seemingly Placid, but she knew other wise.

"AH-ACHOO!" The unsuspected visit scarred her, causing a sneeze attack. "ALFENDI LAYTON! WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU DOING HERE?" Florence roared. It was extremely out of character, seeing yelling gave the sickly woman a sore throat. She was more startled than angry, but that was enough to wake Potty Prof up.

"So what? One night of sleep gave you that much of a backbone, Florence?" She froze in her chair. Even after a year of knowing the truth, the true side of Al still frightened her to the bone. The inspector was now standing, towering over the hunched over Florence. Trying to regain composure, the scientist realized that he had come here. There had to be a reason.

"Not a backbone, Al.. Now seeing you're in my A-ACHOO!- lab. I would love to know why you're here." Her voice surprised herself, coming out with more bravado than planned.

"That- that's right Florence. Excuse me," The Al she knew took over. He cringed as he noticed Florence sigh in relief. "I, erm, had a question that I was wondering you could answer." From the sound of Al's voice, Florence knew that this wasn't about a case. She was shocked. Very rarely did anyone really come to her for regular life problem solutions.

"Oh, really Al? Well, uh, ask away," Flo calmly replied.

"Really? I mean…Does Lucy have any family? Or a guardian?" Alfendi's question puzzled her, but of course she had a solution. I was something she and Lucy had talked about recently after discussing her birthday plans. Florence's face fell at the thought.

"Why, yes. Didn't she tell you? This isn't exactly my place, sniff but I thought you knew." If it wasn't for the relationship that Alfendi had with the detective constable, the words wouldn't be flowing out of her mouth. "Lucy's father died when she was a child, after a long battle with cancer, and her mom lives upstate. AH-ACHOO-Ever since she was of age, she has lived independently in her current flat." Al's reaction was similar to her own when she had found out. His eyes widened in shock, his mouth in a grim line.

He sat back down on the steps. All his life, Alfendi had a pretty normal family. Despite not ever knowing his mother, he had found one in his adopted sister Flora. He had a father, who ever with a rocky relationship, deep down Al knew his dad loved him. He had lost no one in his life who had honestly cared about him, and yet he wasn't content with his life until Lucy. Lucy. The Prof thought. Her personality was so bubbly and bright, yet she had been through so much.

A sickly pale hand rested on his shoulder, breaking him out of the stupor.  
"Brings everything into perspective, doesn't it." All Alfendi could do was nod. "Now why did you need to know that? It's not like you to put you nose into other's business." From the depths of his pocket, Al pulled out something out that caused Florence to sneeze half across the room.


	2. Florence's Letter and Lonely Roads

A sharp rasping on the door of her flat woke Lucy Baker up from her slumber the Saturday before her birthday. KNOCK KNOCK. The thumping on the door became louder, more distressed.

"Oi! I'll be up in a sec!" Putting on her fluffy green robe, she shuffled across her flat. Whoever it was, waking her up at nine on a Saturday, wasn't going to be happy that they did. Pulling the door open in a flourish, she screamed, "Whadda you wont?"

"Good morning to you, too, Lucy." Her hair was a mess under her signature orange cap, which was strewn off to the side. The color of her robe was strikingly similar to her detective constable uniform, and he was now aware of how short the hem was…

"Prof!" All the color in her body had gone straight to her cheeks. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean ta explode on ya like that. I weren't expectin' you. Speaking of, why are ya 'ear, Prof?" Lucy's accent was even thicker after just waking up. This time the Prof started to blush.

"Erm, I just wanted to talk. Maybe go for a ride later," he said nervously. Lucy looked suspicious, but ushered him into her flat.

"Ta very much for the surprise, but I ain't really fit for company. Do ya mind if I take a shower?" She bit her lip. Lucy was fully aware of her awful bed-head, and horrid wardrobe.

"Of course, Lucy," the Prof smiled. "Hurry, though.. We have a lot on the agenda." He kissed her on the head. With that Lucy bounced off to get ready.

Not long after Alfendi heard the water start, his curiosity got the best of him. Searching around the den, there were very few pictures, other than one of a young Lucy, with a man Alfendi assumed was her father. The other was one of the two of them, where Potty Prof had scooped a giggly Lucy up in his arms. The two of them had made a silhouette in the night sky. Next to it was a letter in a familiar scientist's hand-writing.

_Dear Lucy,  
_  
_Didn't know that I was into photography, eh? This was the night that Alfendi finally made a move on you. I nearly fell out of my chair after I rolled by to check on you. I wasn't even that scared that Al was in a darker state of mind. Before you could see me, I sped to get the boys together to do some sleuthing of our own.  
_  
_That night, Dustin, Sniffer, and I decided to see if it was true, that you really were in love. Just by the way Al fought against the boys that night proved his love wasn't just with one sided, but with both. I can still hear Dusty whining about how he was smacked by several newspapers. Sniffer refuses to talk about it, so I imagine old Al must of done something quite un-gentlemanly.  
_  
_While I stole you away, I couldn't help but notice how red with embarrassment you were. I'd honestly never thought I would see the fearless Lucy Baker blush. All the way to the lab, you kept asking me, "Eh, just 'ow much of tha' did you see?" and other rather flustered sentences. Finally, I the safety of the lab, you opened up about everything, even that little encounter you had with Dolly Hollerday. The way you talked about him, oh Lucy it was something special. You had this glow that was surrounding you, enveloping everything you did. _  
_After several chick flicks in the lab, I got a message from Dusty saying that Al was making his escape home. I only had a few seconds to come up with a plan to get you two back with each other. That was when I decided I wasn't feeling well enough to stay up much longer. What with me being sick all the time, it was rather convincing. Hoping that Alfendi would do something cute, I slipped my camera into my lab coat pocket.  
_  
_With one look at you, Al made no time of picking you up into his arms, and carrying you off into the night. With the full moon and stars behind you, I snapped this photo. Even without seeing your faces, in knew that you and Al were never leaving one another.  
_  
_Happy Anniversary,_  
_Florence_

"Sweet, ain't it? Flo gave it ta me a year after it wos taken." Without realizing it, the water had stopped and Lucy must've gotten ready. Lucy's voice startled him, causing him to jump and dropped the letter. Potty Prof had come out, a retort on his tongue, but all words left him when he saw his marvelous assistant.

Her signature auburn hat was gone, replaced by a floral themed headband that complemented her golden brown hair. The detective constable uniform had been swapped out for peach blouse and a skirt that matched her hair band. On Lucy's petite feet, leather sandals completed her new look. In comparison, Alfendi felt underdressed.

"Wot?" She spun around, causing her skirt to fly up in a circle, surrounding her. "Is summat wrong? Prof?" A look of concern flashed across her face. Looking up, Alfendi noticed a gold surrounding her eyes, a faint touch of pink and yellow blended together on her eyelids. A light blush danced across her cheeks. _Make-up?_ Blinking several times, he brushed the back of his fingers on her cheek.

"Lucy… I don't know what to say. You look gorgeous," he whispered, looking her over again. Smiling, the Prof took her hand, and led Lucy to the couch. Sitting down, Al became nervous.  
"Lucy, how come you've never mentioned your family? I've never met anyone other than the children you've babysat."  
"'Ell, it's never really came up, Prof. Come ta think of it, I only know your pa through ta newspaper articles 'bout 'im…" Lucy knew that it was a touchy subject, but she only went that way to avoid any tears. She was actually happy with her make-up.

"Lucy, Florence told me the outline. Why didn't you tell me?"_ That lil' snitch. Last time I trust 'er wit any secrets._ Sighing, she looked away and began to speak.

"'E died when I were jus' a tiny tot, right before my twelfth birthday. Ta last few years were really 'ard, wit 'im bein' sick an all. Mum was up at ta hospital everyday the last week, takin' me evera other day, and finally mum an' I kissed him on the cheek one last time. The next day 'e were gone." Glancing down at her hands, her lip was quivering. "My mum still lives up North a here, in ta house I grew up in."

"Oh, Lucy, I know. That's why after a quick stop to my flat, we're going to see her."

* * *

After rushing to change his clothes, Alfendi's gut sent him back in time. Slipping on his black jeans, he switched his sweater to a white dress shirt, and his lab coat for a blue blazer. To top it off, Al grabbed his crimson tie, but quickly realized he didn't know how to tie it. Hanging it around his neck, the Prof gently tucked his shirt in, and attempted to brush out his hair, but to no avail.  
Walking out of his flat, he found Lucy waiting at the front door.

"I got worried, Prof. You hadn't come out for a good twenta minutes," she gasped. Lucy had never seen the Prof so dressed up. She laughed, now knowing how he had felt before. "Wow," Lucy sighed, breathless at the sight of Alfendi. Noticing the stray tie, Lucy stared at him confused.

"After five years of not needing it, I guess my brain forgot how to do something as simple as tying a tie." Chuckling, Lucy pulled him down to her height using the two tie ends. Kissing him on the nose, Lucy went to work tying the crimson tie the shade of Alfendi's blush.

* * *

Along the way, Lucy had mentioned that the ride was going to be a lot longer than the directions said. Thinking of home, she remembered the dozens of apple orchards, the dusty country road, the beach view- the roads.

"Uh, Prof?"

"Yes, Lucy. Is something wrong?" At first, Lucy loved the cuteness of the Prof's car. Small and rounded, the paint job was a metallic black, making the sun glint off in curious angles. The black leather interior was mostly covered by a clutter of newspapers and articles of clothing from past seasons. A scarf from winter was peeking out from underneath a stack of newspapers, while an umbrella was leaned up against the back of her passenger seat. But all of that wouldn't matter on the harsh country roads.  
"I don't think your car is quite up to ta strain of the dusty roads of the country, Prof. They tend ta be kinda harsh on the cars of city folks," she stated. The Prof held one hand over his heart in mock hurt, his hair changing to a shade similar to his tie.

"This city boy and his car are hurt! I'll have you know that this car has survived much worse than your petty country roads," Potty Prof replied. "And how did you, a seeming city born girl, grow up in the country?" Alfendi was actually quite perplexed.

"I might of stolen me mum's car a few times to visit my uncle. He was the one who got me into the crime-fightin' but 'e died awhile back. I believe that 'e used ta work at the Yard wit ta Commissioner back when they were our ages. He use ta tell me the most interesting of stories…" Just thinking about him made Lucy think of so many happy memories. Soon, Lucy had lulled herself to sleep, her head tilted slightly to the left.

Alfendi chuckled as he glanced slightly to the left. Lucy had basically sung her self a lullaby. Checking the directions, he noticed that even without the country roads, there was still four hours to go until they were supposed to get there. With Lucy's reasoning, the Prof was 98.4% sure that he had a very lonely six-hour ride ahead of him. That left his alter egos way to much time to worry about what the perfect thing to say to Lucy's mother was…


	3. Lost Members and Nightmares

_In her dream, Lucy was surrounded by her family, but instead of having gaps missing, like a father and a slew of siblings, many people she couldn't identify invaded her mind. One man stood out. Stepping forward, the stranger wore a brown top hat, and a matching suit to boot. Lucy recognized him from the papers. This man was Hershel Layton, the Prof's father. Holding out a hand, Professor Layton lead Lucy through the crowd of family to a small tea party. She opened her mouth in thanks, but no words came out. Dazed, Lucy sat down onto a chair made of the wisps of her dream.  
_  
_Slowly, a relative of Lucy's who had died came to join the tea party. First, a great-aunt who had passed on long before Lucy's memories were made came and rustled the hair on her head. She took her seat on the right of Layton. Lucy's grandfather, on her mother's side, came over to give her a thousand watt smile, which was the only memory of him Lucy had. Each relative would come by, alternating positions on the sides of the table. The whole thing seriously frightened Lucy, but she could find a way to wake up. Finally, there were two spots left.  
_  
_In her dream, Lucy wanted so badly for them to be real. Her father and uncle, brothers united, walked into the party. Standing on opposite sides of her chair, she hugged her uncle first, who whispered in her ear.  
_  
_"Luce, my darling. I know you will make the right decision." With that he sat down. Turning to her father, tears were already streaming down her face like rivers. Tackling him, Lucy buried her face into his jacket. This time, she found a voice.  
_  
_"I miss you so much, Daddy," she sobbed into his shoulder. Propping her upright, her father looked her in the eyes, which held so many similarities to hers.  
_  
_"I know you do, Pumpkin. That's why God graced you with a blessing. Hold on to him forever, Pumpkin. He'll be there for you when I can't." Sitting down, her father completed the tea party the Prof's father had set up. Her whole family looked up to her with hopeful eyes.  
_  
_"We believe in you, Lucy. Go make us proud." With a sudden jolt, Lucy fell through the clouds and woke with a start._

* * *

"Ahg!" Lucy sat up with extreme speed, putting her hand over her heart in true fear. What had started of as a seemingly good dream had quickly turned into an alarming nightmare. Alfendi's eyes widened, and he pulled over immediately. With Lucy still panting, he unbuckled her seat belt and pulled her closer to him.

"Lucy? Oh, Lucy, don't be scarred, I'm right here beside you," both Profs said, in a weird, melded voice. Shocked, Lucy looked up at Alfendi. Much to his surprise, Lucy hadn't been crying, but rather shaking like a leaf. Her crimson eyes were wide open, as she stared at him in relief.

"Your real, aren't you?" she whispered.

"Of, course, Lucy. I'm here," a worried Al replied. "Tell me what happened." It wasn't a question. Her voice shaky, Lucy retold her dream, leaving out the spoken parts, even though that was the worst part. The Prof seemed genuinely mortified when she mentioned that his father was the ringleader of her nightmare. Awhile after she had stopped talking, Lucy sat up, and laced her fingers together with Alfendi's.

"You can drive with one 'and, you know," she stated. From that point on, Potty Prof was in control, keeping one hand on the wheel, and one hand with Lucy, his reassuring grip never wavering until they got to their destination, seven hours later.

That night at twilight, on the horizon, a quaint cottage home was brightly illuminated against the sky. Lucy, breaking the silence that had been so reassuring, squealed in delight.

"Eee! We made it, Prof! there it tis!" Lucy shouted with glee. Alfendi shot a glance over to the girl. A glow had slowly returned to her face after the nightmare, giving her face a soft beauty that he loved. All of a sudden Lucy stared right at the man.

"You, under any circumstance, are not allowed ta see any baby pictures. Ya may not ask ta see any, nor ask ta 'ere any stories. I still dunno wot this is all about, so I'll be very angry if that's is wot you came for," Lucy directed. Recalling some of the embarrassing stories of her child hood, she had to warn the Prof not to make that move.

"I promise, Lucy. That isn't why were here. I just know so little about your life pre-Mystery Room. But I do need to know these stories sooner or later, you know," he teased. Her face was all different shades of blush and pink anger as Lucy turned to him. Alfendi laughed right out loud. "Kidding, Lucy. I do have a sense of humor, you know." Pulling the little black car into the long, winding driveway of Lucy's mother's home, Lucy gave him a nervous smile. Chuckling, the duo got out of the car.

Getting out first, Lucy rounded the corner and pulled the Prof into a tight hug. Putting his arms around her in turn, he wondered what all of this nervous energy was about. Pulling back slightly, his looked into those scarlet eyes of hers.

"What's all this nervousness about? Your not worried about me are you," he realized. What if he changed and blew it? "I promise I'll try and control it, Lucy."

Lucy smiled. "No, that's not it, Prof. I'm never afraid of tha'. It just…" The last part was mumbled under her breath.

"What was that?" a confused Prof asked.

"I've never really brought a boyfriend home before. Me mum wos always so over protective of me, and it was never a problem before workin' at the Yard," Lucy looked ashamed of her self, like this was a serious problem. She absent-mindedly fixed a stray purple hair that had fallen loose from behind Alfendi's ear.

"You are aware that I was the one who called ahead, and planned this thing out, correct? So, in essence, I'm bringing you home." Taking her had in his, the Placid Prof took Lucy up to the front porch, and went to knock on the door. Before either of them had a chance, a woman around the age of fifty pulled Alfendi and Lucy into a big group hug.


	4. Stories at Twilight and Confessions

"Oh, my baby! I missed you so much!" After ambushing the couple with a hug, she singled out Lucy. Glancing at the man who had alone called her this morning, she had seen why Lucy had fallen in love with this one. "Ooh, he's a keeper Lucy. Nice and handsome, and quite ta gentleman!"  
"Mum! " Lucy said with an exasperated sigh. She pulled out of the hug.

"Now who is this, Lucy. It ain't polite ta leave a stranger un-introduced," Lucy's mom continued. Lucy was at a loss for words, looking to Alfendi for help. Extending his arm, he smiled at the woman.

"My name is Alfendi Layton, ma'am. I can now see where Lucy gets all of her beauty from," he said smoothly.

"Ah, Alfendi, did you say? It's nice ta finally meet you, and know your real name. I wos really startin' ta think your name was actually 'Prof.'" At this Lucy blushed a deep pink under her make-up.

"Quite, honestly, ma'am, I'm not even a professor. That would be my father. My title is as Inspector." Laughing, a hearty laugh, Lucy's mother ushered the young couple into the den of the prairie-style home.

Around ten at night, Lucy was nodding off on the Prof's shoulder, vaguely aware of her mum's stories focusing on her childhood as she slowly slipped into sleep. At first, it had started off with Lucy trying to hide her blush in his mahogany ponytail. Every so often, Lucy would feel Al's shoulders rise and fall with laughter, hearing him chuckled slightly as her eyelids drooped. His laughter has become her lullaby, his heartbeat serving as the rhythm. The last thing in Lucy's memory was the feeling of being weightless as the Prof carried her to her room.

Alfendi had never felt so comfortable around a family member, even if it wasn't his. Lucy's mum was so kind, and had the same fierce and bubbly personality that he saw in her daughter. After many stories that Lucy had warned him not to listen to, the assistant had finally fallen asleep on the Prof's shoulder.  
"There she goes again," laughed Lucy's mother. "Tha' would be an ol' trait of Lucy's. Before my husband got sick, a little version of her would curl up against her father, and wait for him to think she were asleep, and have him carry her of to bed." Getting the hint, he scooped the Detective Constable into his arms in one fluid motion. His honey eyes shone with peace as Al looked onto the sleeping girl.  
"I'll be right back, ma'am," he said devilishly. As her daughter's boyfriend left the room, Ms. Baker could've sworn his hair had changed color…

* * *

As Alfendi carried the snoozing Lucy, he struggled with his split personality. Both sides loved the girl so much, and his other side had slipped out, right in front of her mum. A pang of remorse shot through him, even the darker side of Alfendi felt it. Hopefully, he had carried off Lucy fast enough that she noticed his hair, the tell-tale sign of the personality change inside him. Upon arrival of Lucy's room, Al turned around hoping to shove the door open with his back. Slowly, the door clicked open, granting the duo access to Lucy's room.

Unlike most girl's rooms, Lucy had designed everything her own way. Each wall was a different color, one crimson, and another cream. The other walls were pictures, one painted, the other a wall of pure blackboard for chalk. Settling Lucy down under the covers, Alfendi took a closer look at the writing on the wall. Apart from the colored walls, he started inspecting the paint mural opposite the bed. Some of the pictures looked to be painted as early as three, and progressed on from there. Beginning the black boarded wall were much more detailed images, the most recent from what must've been her Christmas visit. In the center was a checklist. It had several scribble marks on it, but some of them had large checks next to them, the most prominent being a huge red check along side 'Get a job at the Scotland Yard.'

Other drawings included Lucy in different uniforms of the Scotland Yard, all up to the last one. In it, Lucy had drawn herself in an over sized lab-coat, her hands covered by the too long sleeves. Underneath was a baggy red and blue sweater, followed by a navy blue trousers that hung way below the hip. Her hair was missing the signature hat, which had been replaced by a short ponytail. Lucy had drawn her face in a fit of giggles, as though she hadn't planned on wearing the outfit. Alfendi laughed softly to himself, realizing how ridiculous Lucy would look in his clothes. Putting his hand against the chalk drawing, he realized that this drawing couldn't be smudged. Retracting his hand, the Prof came upon one final drawing.

The man depicted was himself, but not quite. His hair was crimson, indicating that it was his true side. However, the one always loose strand of hair that rested atop his head was a placid purple. It was as if Lucy had taken a photo right as he changed, but he rest of the drawing showed that he was happy, like both sides had merged into one Alfendi.

Lucy was making noise in her sleep, alerting the Prof to know something was up. Seeing that the girl was only reaching out for something to cuddle, Al handed the restless Lucy a teddy bear. Wishing that it could be him instead of the stuffed toy, he planted a quick kiss on her forehead, and made his way into the hallway. Shutting the door behind him, Alfendi made his way to where Lucy's mom was waiting.

* * *

Returning to the den, it was Ms. Baker who restarted the conversation.

"So, Alfendi, dear. Wot are you really doin' 'ere. It's evident tat you really love my Lucy, but tha's not all is it?" Al blushed. Like Lucy, her mom could see right through him. Placing his hand though his hair, the Prof's stomach was doing back flips inside him. Nervously, words formed in his mind.

"I hate to be so bland, but I really love your daughter, ma'am."

"Please dear. Call me Lea," Ms. Baker interrupted. "But please, continue."

"I-I don't know if Lucy told you, but I suffer from split personality disorder." From the look on her face, Alfendi knew that this was new news. "My other self, well he can be a tad rowdy and rash in decisions. To most people, I scare them away when he comes out, but not Lucy. She came in not knowing a thing about it, not even a warning from a co-worker. Instead of running away, Lucy took it upon herself to really get me through some tough times. Did you know she even cleared my name of murder?" His actual self had come out during all the rambling, his hair a deep maroon. "I found my self starting to love her, both sides of me. And now, after two years of knowing your daughter, I-I came to ask you for your blessing." Pulling out a black velvet box, Alfendi opened it to reveal a ring.


	5. Acceptance and Hidden Plans

"That was quite a big thing to confess to some one ya barely know." Looking down at his hands, the Prof's heart sunk. Hearing a sniffle, he looked up to see the woman crying. Through the tears, she said, "Dear, you just made my 'eart melt I'm really gonna miss my little girl. You've stolen my Lucy's heart, and I only see it right ta give her to ya. You 'ave my blessin', Alfendi Layton." She watched as the man who would be her son-in-law's hair change though the whole thing. Finally deciding on a lilac color, he stood up and hugged the woman Al hoped could be a mother to him.

When Alfendi woke up in the guest room of the Baker residence, the events of last night were still swimming trough his head, giving both sides a light, happy feeling. Smiling, the Prof got up, the scent of freshly cooked bacon wafting into his nose, compelling him to get dressed faster. Walking into the kitchen, Al was surprised to find that it was Lucy who was cooking. Butterflies flew around in his stomach. Not wanting to startle her, he simply greeted her.

"Good morning, darling. I had no idea that you could actually get up before me," Alfendi stated, tittering to himself. Looking up from the breakfast side-dish, Lucy smiled warmly.

"Right? It's just summat about the crisp country air tat caused me ta get up. Contrary to your beliefs, Prof, I used ta be quite the early riser!" The look on the Prof's face gave away that he didn't truly believe her. Shrugging, he helped Lucy set the table for a late morning brunch. To them, it was like a dance, as they glided around each other gracefully. Finally, the two were finished, ending the performance with a kiss. Giggling, Lucy nudged her nose against her Prof's.

"I love ya so much, Prof," Lucy whispered. "Ta very much for carryin' me to bed last night. Hopefully," she added, "You remember as little a' ta stories as I do."

"I love you more than you know, Lucy. And don't you worry. All of you secrets are safe with me," Alfendi replied, kissing her on the forehead. Sitting down, Lucy and the Prof held hands under the table as they waited for Lea Baker.

As soon as her mom entered the kitchen, she knew that she had made the right decision about Alfendi Layton. There's such a love in 'is eyes, Lea thought. Her daughter lived with a renewed lease on life, a new spring in her step. Wiping away a tear of joy, she joined the couple for breakfast.

* * *

The Prof had never seen two woman eat as much as Lucy and her mom did. It made no sense that both women were so unbelievably thin. He, in comparison, had only eaten half of the portion on the plate while the girls had started on seconds. Glancing up, Lucy noticed this as well.

"Oi, is there summat wrong, Prof? You've barely touched your food," she exclaimed with her mouth full, making her cockney accent all the more thick. Chuckling, Alfendi wiped his cheek quickly, alerting Lucy of the food stuck there. Blushing a deep rose color, she wiped a napkin across her face.

"The food is delicious, Lucy. You know me, though. I've never been the eater." It was true. On all the lunch or dinner dates they had been on, both sides of the Prof always ate a very tiny amount. _But there is summat that 'e can resist_, Lucy thought with a grin.

Standing up, she went to the fridge. Like always, her mom kept a roll of cinnamon rolls in the top drawer. Preparing them, Lucy heard a slight rumble of a stomach coming from the direction of the Prof. Smiling triumphantly with a plate just for Alfendi, she set the warm bun in front of him. Delighted, Al wolfed it down, thanking Lucy generously afterward.

The rest of the day was full of different things, but right before the couple were supposed to leave, Lucy's mom had one more surprise.

"Now ya don't think you was gonna leave wit out your present, did you?" she asked Lucy.

"Mum, you didn't have ta get me ana thing," she mumbled. Truth was, Ms. Baker didn't have a gift for Lucy up until last night. Knowing that her daughter's birthday would be very special this year, she pulled out something that hadn't been seen for over twenty years.

"Nonsense, dear. It is your almost birthday!" Holding out a small white box, Lucy took it. Opening it, she gasped. Inside was a small cream hair clip. The design was of roses, gemstones adorning the centers. It was plated with real gold, and Alfendi knew it had to be something really special to get a reaction like that from Lucy. Her eyes were filled to the brim with tears, some already cascading down her cheek.

"Oh my God, mum," she breathed. Lucy had only seen the hair piece once before, in an old, fading picture. When she was little, back when her father was alive, Lucy recalled a picture that had since been taken down. In it was a young Lea and George Baker, on the night of their wedding. In her mother's hair, this clip had been placed, serving as the bond to keep her up-do together. "Wot's all this about?"

"Well dear, it's about time you finally saw it, an' you deserve ta have it. I 'aven't worn it since ta wedding, and you always loved it summat fierce." Alfendi's eyes widened, realizing that this hadn't been planned until last night. Through the tears, Lea Baker winked at the man she would call 'son.' She was absolutely sure of it.

* * *

It took awhile for Lucy to stop looking at the clip. The whole ride back to London she spent memorizing each tiny detail of it. There were twenty-two petals on the larger rose, sixteen on the smaller. The ivory was smooth and soft from being rubbed continuously by her fingers. Inside each flower was a gemstone; a ruby for the larger rose and a pale amethyst in the other. The gold base glimmered in the sunlight, the gems refracting purple and crimson light onto her face. To Lucy, it was something out of a fairy-tale, a sweet dream from cloud nine.

"Lucy, we're here," Alfendi stated. From his tone, it was clear that the Prof was exhausted from the taxing drive. Looking up from the hair piece, Lucy could see the bags forming under his eyes. "Are you getting out?" The Potty Prof hissed. It was times like these that pure tiredness caused a personality change. Yawning herself, Lucy got out, but not alone. Yanking the driver door open, Lucy pulled Al out of his car, who barely had time to grab the keys out of the ignition before Lucy dragged him into her flat.

Placing the nearly unconscious man on her bed, Lucy sighed in relief after Alfendi was settled. Snorting in his sleep, the Prof's hair changed colors over and over, as it always did right after falling asleep. Laughing under her breath, Lucy herself laid down herself. Feeling something hard in his lab pocket, she just dismissed it as the car keys before succumbing to sleep her self.


	6. Birthday Wishes and Proposals

The whole week before September twenty-second the Mystery Room was swamped with cases. It got so bad that even Lucy would spend the night in the office. Every so often, however, when Lucy was asleep, Alfendi would scribble down words in a small, leather-bound book. Once, when his assistant was in a particularly deep slumber, the Prof snuck to the lab to visit Florence. When he entered, Al found the scientist casually working on the evidence of another case.  
"Hello, Florence," he greeted her.

"Wow AH-AHCOO!- Twice in one week? What do you need this time, Al?" Florence was surprised that he had visited her lab so many times, without evidence, that is.

"Erm, well, I was wondering if you had anymore pictures on that camera of yours. I saw the one you sent Lucy. Very nice work, if you ask me," Alfendi noted. Some color rose to the sickly woman's face.

"Thanks, Al. But why would you need pictures?" The Prof went into the details of what he had been planning, and Florence graciously went along with the idea, lending Alfendi her camera so he could print off the pictures he liked. Apart from the nighttime silhouette, the Prof never knew how much Florence had helped in his and Lucy's relationship. He had forgotten all the forced co-worker bonding nights where the scientist would bring her camera, snapping pictures whenever the need arose. If she wasn't such a brilliant scientist, she should've gone into photography, Al thought. After work, he had nine pictures printed out, the exact number of cases it had taken Alfendi to realize that he loved Lucy.

* * *

At last Lucy's birthday came, and even though it was a Friday and she had work, she was so excited to get to the Scotland Yard that she was actually on time for work. Many of the people she didn't know very well wished her a happy birthday. It wasn't uncommon to know someone's birthday but not their name where Lucy worked. She made her rounds around the building, but noticed that Sniffer, Florence, and Dustin were nowhere to be found. Even Hilda was away from her office. Shrugging , Lucy headed to her office. Finally, she reached the Mystery Room. Going in, she started to say a greeting to the Prof but was cut off.

"Happy Birthday, Lucy!" All of her friends shouted excitedly. Sniffer, Dustin, Florence, and even Hilda were crowded into the small office. Lucy squealed, her eyes settling on her Prof. He was smiling innocently as to say, _Well, what did you expect?_

"Oh guys! I don't know wot ta say! Ta very much!" Very slowly, Florence rolled over to the surprised detective constable. Sneezing, she smiled.

"Well come on in! You have quite the load of presents to open," the scientist said, taking Lucy's hand, leading her over to the couch area.

After many gifts, Lucy was very grateful for the friends she had. Looking over to the pile of now opened parcels, she smiled. Hilda, who seemed to go out of her way, had gotten Lucy a rather expensive looking amber-colored dress that she said 'would compliment her eyes.' Sniffer, being a little unsure of what to get, gave her set of his favorite murder-mystery novels. Dustin had got her a gift card to a popular boutique in the mall. The idea of the Scotland Yard janitor in the feminine store had made Lucy giggle to herself.

So far, Florence's gift had been her favorite. When Lucy had opened it, she was shocked. The scientist had found a silver charm bracelet, and hunted down the perfect charms. On the bracelet, Florence had threaded three tiny charms. One was a magnifying glass, which while cheesy, it represented something Lucy truly enjoyed doing. Next was rounded bead that was set with sapphires for her birth month. The last charm Florence was particularly proud of herself for finding. The charm was made of a smooth, marbled stone. Most of it was a burgundy, but there was an undertone of crimson. Blushing fiercely, Lucy told Flo that it was perfect, and represented everything she loved.

Finally it was Alfendi's turn. Taking a seat next to his girlfriend, he presented her with a thick, leather-bound book. Grinning, he nodded his head, telling her it was okay to open it. When she did, Lucy let out a gasp. Inside the cover was the picture Florence had given her. Under it was the caption,  
'A Perfect Love by Alfendi Layton' flipping though the book, she realized that it was a recounting of the first nine cases her and the Prof had solved together from his point of view. Every so often, the handwriting would change, indicating the switch from Placid to Potty Prof, or vice-versa. Every story started with a picture that Florence had taken of the duo. Each case had a mention to an unidentifiable feeling for his assistant. By the end of the Forbodium case, it had seemed like the Prof had figured it out. Flipping to the last page, there were only three hastily written words. _Now look up._  
Doing so, Lucy was surprise to see that Al had moved from his place on the couch beside her. He was now eye level with her, and one knee was on the floor.

"So how did you like my story, Lucy?" The Prof asked.

"Oh it were beautiful, Prof. It were ta sweetest thing I ever laid my eyes upon," she said seriously, tears starting to form in her ruby eyes. Nervously, Alfendi continued.

"Well good, because it's the truth. Lucy Baker, I have been a lot of things in my life. I was called a murderer, a criminal. You fixed that. I thought that my condition made me an abomination, a freak. I thought that no one would ever want to love someone like me. But you made me think other wise, and proved me wrong," It seemed as though everyone in the room had figured out what was going on but Lucy. Rummaging in his pockets, Alfendi brought out a little velvet box. "I always knew that I loved you, Lucy Baker. Even I did," mumbled Potty Prof. "From you bubbly attitude to your beautiful looks, you have stolen my heart. I only hope that I have stolen yours as well."

Opening the box, Alfendi revealed his true birthday gift. "Lucy Baker, will you marry me?" Inside the box was a diamond engagement ring. Around the main gem were two smaller ones, one an amethyst, the other a ruby. Her eyes widened, remembering her mother's strange gift. Looking into those amber eyes that could only belong to her Alfendi Layton, she whispered her reply.

"The true culprit of this crime…" Lucy pointed at her Prof, "is you."


End file.
